1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to pin clutches, and particularly to a safety clutch for use with post earrings, and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The jewelry art commonly employs a device usually referred to as a pin clutch and employed to retain tie tacks, hat pins, post earrings, and the like, in proper position on a wearer or the wearer's clothing. U.S. Pat. Nos. 857,614, issued June 25, 1907, to W. Gaskell, et al., and 1,081,888, issued Dec. 13, 1913, to B. V. Chapman, disclose hat pin clutches wherein spring biased catches selectively engage in a groove or grooves provided on an associated shaft of the hat pin. In particular, the Chapman hat pin guard employs a plunger-like device acting against the bias of a coiled spring in order to normally engage an annular groove provided near the pointed end of a hat pin. Further, U.S. Pat. Nos. 989,372, issued Apr. 11, 1911, to P. Lauermann, and 1,328,954, issued Jan. 27, 1920, to J. S. Graham, disclose hat pin clutches which are simultaneously, like the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,081,888, point guards or protectors for the hat pins. U.S. Pat. No. 989,372 uses a coiled spring to bias a clutch pin against the shank of the associated hat pin.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,319,340, issued Oct. 21, 1919, to A. Hurwitz, discloses a scarf pin clutch having a clutch-eye rotatable in a slide mounting which is biased in one direction by a spring, and the clutch-eye having an arm cooperating with a fulcrum so that longitudinal movement of the slide is accompanied by slight turning movement of the eye.
A basic disadvantage of the aforementioned hat pin and scarf clutches, however, is that they are generally not suitable for reduction in size so as to accommodate these known clutches for use with post earrings, tie tacks, and the like.